Speeches Shim
On behalf of the United States Agency for International Development, it is my pleasure to join you for the Program for the Advancement of Malaria Outcomes (PAMO’s) end-of-project event. I want to begin by acknowledging the project team for their hard work and commitment over the past five years. Preventing, controlling, and treating malaria is a priority under the U.S. government’s foreign assistance strategy. In 2005, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) was launched to reduce malaria-related mortality across Southern Africa. Led by USAID, and implemented together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PMI scales up proven, cost-effective malaria prevention and treatment interventions. Focus interventions include distribution of insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, prompt diagnosis and treatment, and intermittent preventive treatment of pregnant women.
Good morning. On behalf of the U.S. government, I am honored to join you today to celebrate the launch of four new One-Stop Centers and the addition of critical gender-based violence (GBV) indicators to the national Health Management Information System (HMIS). These improvements increase access to vital post-GBV care and improve data collection and response to GBV cases. On November 25, we joined the Zambian government to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and kick off the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Of the many events and commemorations that the U.S. government participates in each year, advocating for a safer, more just, and more equal world for women is among the most important.
Good morning. On behalf of the U.S. government, I am honored to join you to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and to help launch the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Violence against girls and women continues to be one of the most widespread, persistent human rights violations in our world today. Whether it is intimate partner violence, sexual violence, harassment, trafficking, or child marriage, gender-based violence impacts the affected individual’s life in a myriad of ways and can limit them from reaching their full potential. Studies have shown that the current COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased violence against women in many countries around world, including countries in our region.
The Kuwait Fund and USAID both have a long history in development. Although our agencies are on nearly opposite sides of the world, both were founded within a month of each other in 1961. As the Arab world’s first-ever development agency, the Kuwait Fund is a natural partner for USAID as we work to engage effectively in the region.
Our commitment remains steadfast. Let me be clear: the people and Government of Afghanistan have a true partner in the United States. USAID believes that economic development, transparent institutions, and good governance are essential for peace. We are committed to working hand in hand with the government and with the private sector when it comes to human development and peacebuilding.
The U.S. Government knows how crucial our Pacific neighbors are in fostering a free and open Indo-Pacific region. And we’ve had a longstanding commitment to the Pacific Islands. Yet, the region’s stability and vitality continue to be threatened—by debilitating natural disasters, development challenges, and malign actors who engage in predatory economic activities.
We must rely on women and their leadership to help build even stronger communities. And this is why it is more important than ever to invest in women, during this pandemic and beyond. USAID has a long history of investing in women. And the White House-led Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP, brings a whole-of-government approach to the belief that advancing women’s economic empowerment globally has the potential to create real change and resilience.
For the very first time, Prosper Africa has brought together the services and resources of 17 participating U.S. Government agencies to help U.S. and African companies do business. By connecting U.S. and African companies with new trade and investment opportunities, the Initiative is creating jobs, driving growth, and fostering shared prosperity.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States strongly endorses collaboration among all of the organizations represented here today, and we welcome this discussion. Humanitarian needs are at an all-time high, and we need new partnerships and ways of doing business to rise to the challenge.
Thank you and good morning.
I’m happy to be here to kick-off the next generation of USAID’s continued assistance programming focused on energy security and critical infrastructure protection throughout Europe and Eurasia.
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